Auburn, Ala. -
The press box at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium was officially named the David E. Housel Press Box in a dedication ceremony Saturday prior to the Tigers' football game against Ole Miss. Housel, who has dedicated more than 35 years to Auburn University, was the athletic department's sports information director from 1981-94.

Housel, who earned a reputation as one of the top sports information directors in the country, directed Auburn's media relations efforts in Bo Jackson's Heisman Trophy year (1985) and in Tracy Rocker's Outland and Lombardi season (1988). Twenty Auburn football players earned first-team All-America recognition on 91 different occasions in Housel's 13-years as sports information director.

A Gordo, Ala., native, Housel is a past president of the Southeastern Conference sports information directors and worked 18 straight NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championships, from 1977-94. Housel served as a member of the Final Four Media Coordination Committee from 1983-94 and was on the NCAA Public Relations and Communications Committees. He chaired the Communications Committee in 1994.

Housel was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame in 1998.

"Coach Ralph Jordan taught me what it means to be an Auburn Man, and Pat Dye taught me what it means to be a competitor," Housel said. "That my name is being added to the press box in a facility bearing their names is more humbling than I can say. I am blessed, truly blessed and honored."

Housel, who graduated from Auburn in 1969 with a degree in Journalism, worked in the athletic department ticket office from 1970-72 before teaching Journalism at Auburn from 1972-80. He rejoined the athletic department as an assistant sports information director in 1980 before being named sports information director in 1981 and assistant athletic director in 1985. Housel was elevated to athletic director in April 1994 and served in that capacity until January 2005.

"David has been a great ambassador for not only the Auburn Athletic Department, but for the entire University," Athletic Director Jay Jacobs said. "The things that you can't always see are the countless lives David has touched, his love for Auburn and his leadership which has impacted us in such a positive way. It is fitting that the press box at Jordan-Hare Stadium bears his name."

During his tenure as athletic director, Auburn won 32 overall or divisional Southeastern Conference titles and seven national championships and experienced one of its greatest periods of facility enhancement in its history. The department consistently operated in the black financially every year, one of the very few Division I-A programs to do so on a consistent annual basis.

As Auburn's athletic director, numerous athletes won individual NCAA titles and earned All-America honors while 82 were Academic All-Americas, including 713 Academic All-SEC performers. Auburn coaches were honored with 13 National Coach of the Year awards and 19 SEC coach of the year awards.